Professional Conduct reports – August 2024

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Recent hearing outcomes

CPSA cancels practice permit of Dr. Phu Truong Vu after finding of sexual abuse

A CPSA Hearing Tribunal has ordered the cancellation of the practice permit and registration of Dr. Phu Truong Vu, a family physician from Calgary.

In 2022, Dr. Vu was found guilty of inappropriate and unsolicited behaviour during sensitive examinations of two patients. The second incident occurred after the 2019 implementation of An Act to Protect Patients, legislation which changed the definitions of sexual abuse and misconduct for regulated health professionals, and introduced mandatory sanctions. In this circumstance, Dr. Vu’s actions were found to meet the definition of sexual abuse under the Health Professions Act (HPA). Dr. Vu’s practice permit was immediately suspended under the HPA as of Aug. 29, 2022, pending the Tribunal’s decision on sanction.

After reconvening to consider submissions on sanction, the Tribunal ordered the cancellation of Dr. Vu’s permit to practise medicine in Alberta, as required under the HPA for a health professional found guilty of sexual abuse of a patient. Dr. Vu was also ordered to pay a lump sum of $10,000. The decision can be reviewed in full on CPSA’s website.

Dr. Vu has appealed the Tribunal’s order on sanction and the findings of unprofessional conduct to CPSA Council, while CPSA’s Complaints Director has appealed the Tribunal’s sanction decision on costs as being insufficient. The appeal will be heard in August 2024.

Dr. Bruce Hoffman sanctioned for unprofessional conduct

Dr. Bruce Hoffman, a general practitioner from Calgary, was sanctioned by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal for three counts of unprofessional conduct.

In 2023, the Tribunal found Dr. Hoffman guilty of billing a patient for private lab testing between 2014 and 2019, at significant cost and above what is permitted under CPSA’s standard of practice. Dr. Hoffman was also found guilty of billing his patient privately on 21 occasions from 2014 to 2018 while also billing the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan for the same services, and failing to create a record for patient visits on five occasions. These actions contravene CPSA’s standards on Sale of Products by Physicians and Charging for Uninsured Professional Services, as well as the Canadian Medical Association’s Code of Ethics and Professionalism and Alberta’s Health Professions Act.

The Hearing Tribunal considered submissions from both parties before issuing their order on sanction, which includes the following:

• Hoffman must pay $20,762.47 to the estate of the patient, as repayment for the excessive portion of fees charged for the private lab testing.
• Hoffman is suspended from practice for one month, to begin within two months of the date on the Tribunal’s written decision.
• Hoffman must take and pass a course on professional ethics and boundaries.
• Hoffman is responsible for 30 per cent of the total costs of the investigation and hearing.

The decision can be reviewed in full on CPSA’s website.

Dr. Hoffman has appealed the findings of unprofessional conduct and the Tribunal’s decision on sanction, and has asked CPSA Council to pause the Hearing Tribunal’s orders pending the outcome of the appeal.